22-day-old baby critical after being branded by traditional healer

A 22-day-old baby boy suffered serious burn injuries after allegedly being branded with a hot iron rod by a traditional healer in Odisha’s Koraput district.

A traditional healer allegedly used a hot iron rod to brand a 22-day-old child, who was taken to him by his parents for treatment at a remote village in Odisha’s Koraput district.(Representational Photo:HT)

A 22-day-old baby boy suffered serious burn injuries after allegedly being branded with a hot iron rod by a traditional healer in Odisha’s Koraput district.

The child from Jhariguda village under Borigumma block was admitted to Jeypore hospital in a serious condition on Friday evening, doctors said.

“The infection from the burns has spread in his body and some parts of his brain. The child is responding to treatment. Ulcers that had developed on his face have been cured. The child will be kept in the hospital for the next few days”, child specialist of Jeypore hospital Sandip Kumar Tripathy said.

The baby’s father, Khageswar Pradha, said as his son was unable to eat anything he had taken him to a traditional healer of the villge a few days back.

“The healer branded him, but his condition deteriorated and we admitted him to hospital,” said Pradhan.

“It has not been medically proven that illness is cured when you brand child. Tribals continue to practise such methods due to lack to awaress”, the doctor said.

Last month, a 27-day-old child in Nabarangpur district was branded in a similar incident.